Bethlehem author demystifies single malt Scotch whisky in new guidebook

Exploring Scotland's world of single malt Scotch whisky can be as unnerving as driving on the left side on its twisting and narrow roads.

But you won't feel that way if Bethlehem's Elizabeth Riley Bell is your guide. Her book, "The Smart Guide to Single Malt Scotch Whisky" (Smart Guide Publications, $19.95, 392 pp.) will help you select and buy single malts, organize tastings, evaluate them and even start a collection.

She's the first American to write a comprehensive guide to single malt Scotch whisky. Bell spent more than 25 summers driving Scotland's glens, highlands and remote islands en route to more than 100 distilleries producing the Scottish version of liquid gold.

Single malt Scotch whisky, like 24-carat-gold, is whisky's purest form. See those four words on an unopened bottle and you'll know all of the whisky in it has been produced by a single distillery in Scotland from malted barley. It also has to have been aged in Scotland in oak casks for at least three years.

Handle it carefully because single malts command premium prices that can start in the $50 range and climb from there.

Chances are you've seen it on the shelf. The Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Cardhu, Laphroig and Highland Park are a sampling of better-known single malts. But as Bell's book reveals, they're only the beginning of what's to be found and tasted.

Bell, a retired Catasauqua Area School District English teacher, is the first American and one of the first women to undergo training in the sensory evaluation of whiskys at the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in Edinburgh.

Americans will see a wider selection of single malt Scotch whiskys than ever before, she says.

"The Scots have expanded their production and have done significant research in ways to develop flavors and mature the spirit. The pleasant result is that distilleries are offering more choices of single malts than they had done previously," Bell says.

The growing interest in single malt Scotch whisky has triggered a resurgence of farm distilleries, recalling the days when whisky was an agricultural product that resulted from farmers distilling surplus grain during the winter, according to the author.

This "single malt Scotch whisky" version of the farm-to-table movement means there has never been a better time to explore them, according to Bell. "They're complex, sipping whiskys. You sit back and enjoy them, drinking less but drinking better, thanks to their many layers of flavor."

Although she didn't write her book for Americans, it offers reference points for all beginners. It also provides information for whisky enthusiasts who collect whiskys or thirst for more knowledge about lost and hidden distilleries whose bottlings often are coveted by collectors.

Should you drink single malt Scotch whisky neat (without water) or with water?

Bell says: "For a complete tasting experience, taste your malt (particularly cask-strength whiskys) without water and then with water."

What about adding ice or mixers such as soda to a single malt? Such actions would make single malt enthusiasts shudder!

Bell advises: "To get the most out of your malt, save ice and mixers for blended Scotch whiskys or spirit drinks."

She also offers ways for beginners with limited budgets to taste these luxury-level drinks. She suggests:

Set up an informal whisky club, with friends sharing costs of buying bottles for tastings.

Head for whisky bars (usually in major cities) where fans will find specially priced flights of single malts to taste.

Attend special events including WhiskyFest (Oct. 26, 27) in New York City and Whisky Live (each spring, also in New York City). Besides doing some sampling, they include educational sessions and are attended by like-minded enthusiasts.

Reading Bell's "breakout box" on decoding the closely regulated labels on single malts and checking her tasting notes are keys to beginning your exploration.

Bell explains, "The age on the label is for the youngest whisky in the bottle," and adds, "Old whisky is not automatically better. Young whisky is good, too."

To take care of the single malts you buy, store the bottles upright, away from temperature extremes and direct sunlight, she advises.

The author distills huge amounts of information into manageable drams. I'll bet Bell used the same outlining skills she shared with students to organize her thoughts and write the book.

Don't want "the full story"? Just drink in the "What You Need to Know" summaries at the end of each chapter. You can start your education by reading this book in your easy chair. Take it with you when shopping for single malts. It also can serve as an initial guide for selecting distilleries to visit along Scotland's whisky trail.

You'll find additional tasting tips and flavor development information from "Noser," Bell's cartoon-like, kilted character who shares his knowledge in the boxes titled, "The Noser Knows."